NEWS
18September
Photo courtesy of Commission on Elections Chairman George Garcia — Comelec/Facebook
Supreme Court halts implementation of Bangsamoro law on Parliamentary seat redistribution
- Sep 18, 2025
- Taher G. Solaiman
- HITS: 1302
During a special en banc session on September 15, the high court consolidated two cases challenging the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Redistricting Act of 2025 and imposed a TRO preventing the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) from implementing the law pending final adjudication.
"The TRO is effective immediately,” the Supreme Court’s briefer stated, adding that Comelec, BTA, and related authorities are enjoined from enforcing BAA No. 77 until further notice.
The law was passed by the BTA on August 19, five days after the election period began on August 14, in compliance with the 2024 Supreme Court ruling that declared Sulu as no longer part of BARMM.
Petitioners—including Member of Parliament Lanang Ali Jr., League of Bangsamoro Organizations Secretary General Samsodin Amella, and peace advocate Datuan Magon Jr.—argue that BAA 77 introduces “confusion, division, and disenfranchisement” among voters, accusing it of undermining electoral stability and predictability mid-election period.
Their 66-page petition contends that the Supreme Court’s 2024 exclusion of Sulu left seven parliamentary district seats unoccupied. They assert that the redistricting law disregards territorial coherence and results in arbitrary district realignments.
Furthermore, petitioners argue that the timing of the law’s enactment violates the Voter’s Registration Act, which prohibits changes to electoral district boundaries once the election period has started, and risks causing massive confusion that could compromise the integrity of the elections.
In a separate but related petition, the same concerns were raised, calling for the nullification of BAA 77 to safeguard the credibility of the upcoming polls.
Meanwhile, the Comelec has affirmed its intent to conduct the October 13 parliamentary elections, excluding the seats originally allocated to Sulu as per the Supreme Court’s earlier ruling.
The Supreme Court’s final decision on the matter is awaited as the region prepares for its historic first parliamentary elections.
Time in Cotabato
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